Like a poor prisoner in his twisted gyves,

And with a silk thread plucks it back again,
So loving-jealous of his liberty.

ROM. I would I were thy bird.

JUL.

Sweet, so would I :

Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing.

Good night, good night! parting is such sweet sorrow,
That I shall say good night, till it be morrow.

SHAKSPEARE.

READING WITH SPECTACLES.

A CERTAIN artist-I've forgot his name-
Had got for making spectacles a fame;

Or "Helps to read," as, when they first were sold,
Was writ upon his glaring sign, in gold;
And, for all uses to be had from glass,
His were allowed by readers to surpass.

There came a man into his shop one day:-
"Are you the spectacle contriver, pray?"
"Yes, sir," said he; "I can in that affair
Contrive to please you, if you want a pair.”
"Can you?-pray do, then." So, at first, he chose
To place a youngish pair upon his nose:

And book produced, to see how they would fit;

"These, sir, I fancy, if you please to try,

These in my hand will better suit your eye."

"No, but they don't." "Well, come, sir, if you please, Here is another sort; we'll e'en try these;

Still somewhat more they magnify the letter.
Now, sir!" "Why, now I'm not a bit the better."
"No!-here, take these, that magnify still more.
How do they fit?" "Like all the rest before."
In short, they tried a whole assortment through,
But all in vain, for none of 'em would do.

The operator, much surprised to find

So odd a case, thought, sure the man is blind:
"What sort of eyes can you have got?" said he.
"Why, very good ones, friend, as you may see."
"Yes, I perceive the clearness of the ball;-
Pray, let me ask you, can you read at all?”
"No, you great blockhead! If I could, what need
Of paying you for any 'Helps to read?'”
And so he left the maker in a heat,
Resolved to post him for an arrant cheat.

ANONYMOUS.

THE APPLE-DUMPLINGS AND GEORGE III.

ONCE in the chase, this monarch drooping,

From his high consequence and wisdom stooping,
Entered, through curiosity, a cot,

Where an old crone was hanging on the pot.
The wrinkled, blear-eyed, good old granny,
In this same cot, illumed by many a cranny,
Had apple-dumplings ready for the pot;
In tempting row the naked dumplings lay,
When, lo! the monarch, in his usual way,
Like lightning asked, "What's here?-what's here?-
what?-what?-what?-what?'

Then, taking up a dumpling in his hand,
His eyes with admiration did expand-

And oft did majesty the dumpling grapple;

"'Tis monstrous, monstrous, monstrous hard," he cried; "What makes the thing so hard?" The dame replied, Low courtesying, "Please your majesty, the apple." "Very astonishing, indeed! strange thing!" (Turning the dumpling round) rejoined the king; ""Tis most extraordinary now, all this isIt beats the conjurer's capers all to pieces

Strange I should never of a dumpling dream.

But, Goody, tell me, where, where, where's the seam ?" (( Sire, there's no seam," quoth she. "I never knew That folks did apple-dumplings sew!"

"No" cried the staring monarch, with a grin,

"Then where, where, where, pray, got the apple in ?”

WOLCOT.

THE END.